Return of the Enchanted
by Rhiannon-Bridget
Summary: Neverland. The one place he swore never to go. His sense of pride and the need to do the right forced Killian to return. With darkness, danger and magic around every corner he has enough to worry about, add to it the enchanting Emma Swan and he may lose more than his hand. This time the heart is on the line. (Based on a prompt. Captain/Swan focus. Rating to be safe.)


RETURN OF THE ENCHANTED

_Chapter 1: Killian_

A portal had been opened.

Killian was certain of that, even before the others had boarded his ship. He'd /KNOWN/. He had felt it. Magic, whenever it was used, gave off a certain energy. It wasn't something that was tangible that you could touch or see but it was there nontheless. Like the charge in the air, the electrical current that reverberated throught the cloudless sky before a dazzling lightening storm struck.

He had felt the water jolt and roll against the side of the Roger and he'd known in that instant that someone had gone somewhere with magic. He wasn't sure but he had the feeling that the lad had been taken.

Killian lifted his eyes to the blue sky that stretched for miles to the horizon and he closed his eyes, inhaling deeply the briny sea air. It filled his lungs and raced through his veins. Killian felt alive in this instant. Truly alive. He was made for the sea and it for him. They were a part of each other and he found himself looking forward to traversing this new world and discovering its beauty, its hidden secrets.

He groaned to himself. He was NOT seriously thinking of turning his ship around, was he? He opened his eyes and glared down at the helm. He would NOT go back. Not for that kid. Not for anyone. He had gotten away from them. From that wretched place. He was finally free. He could go where he wanted, do what he wanted without any consequences.

_But was it right? _A tiny voice taunted him. Killian snarled a string of angry curses to any god that was listening to a wayward fool like himself. Of coarse it wasn't. It was wrong, so very wrong! Killian may boast to being a lot of things and most of which were NOT what one would call pleasant company, but he was not a man to betray the needs of a child.

With a scowl etched on his face he turned the helm hard to port and exhaled a long breath as the Roger slowly turned. Once his nose was facing the shore (which wasn't too far in the distance) he gently guided the ship back to the docks. Since when had he become such a soft shell?

Okay, yes so he like Henry. He seemed like a clever little lad and he admired the strength and courage the boy had in him. He had a pure heart and Killian knew that the boy needed his help and he would give it. Even if it be rather begrudgingly.

It took roughly twenty minutes for Killian to reach the shore and make anchor on the docks. He steeled his shoulders and readied himself for this. He may not fancy any of the adults that would be going to save the lad but he would swallow his pride and bear their insufferability to get him home.

Killian dropped the gangway and walked down to the docks to meet the other adults, his heavy soled boots clunking on the aging wet wood. Emma was the first one to meet him at the bottom of the gangway and he slowly lifted an eyebrow at her. She was all business and he had to respect that, even if he didn't appreciate the way she looked at him, her hands on her hips and anger on her pretty little face.

"The hell are you doing here?" She snapped and he rolled his eyes. Was she really taking this tone with him? Now? When he was here to offer the aid she so sorely needed right now. She really needed to work on her people skills and he planned to address that later.

"Helping." He said flatly.

"Well you're too late!" She hissed and he bit down a snide remark. He was done with the attitude.

"Am I?" He asked, amazed that he'd managed to keep his tone so calm when he felt so angry. He met her at the bottom of the gangway, his blue eyes meeting her green ones. She almost looked defeated and Killian felt something within him soften. He understood in that instant, she wasn't angry at him but at them. The ones who had taken the boy. What fools those idiots were indeed to mess with that child. He could almost pity them.

"I thought you didn't care about anyone but yourself." Emma continued, clearly interested in riling Killian up.

"Maybe I just needed reminding that I could." He said simply, not rising to the bait and a little stunned that he'd admitted to that little tidbit. He sighed and held out his hand to her. There was a smug sense of satisfaction that raced through his veins when she looked up at him in shock.

He was holding out the bean to her.

It was a simple action but laced with so much more meaning and intent. He didn't really know nor understand it yet, but there it was. It was a moment that he would never forget for as long as he lived which, given the situation and what the mission was, might not be long at all he reflected. There was an understanding in the moment a small piece of tenderness flowed in the air between himself and Miss Swan.

Of coarse, true to her character Regina had to interject the moment with her snippy tone and assinign comment. "Enough waiting around, let's go!" She hissed and Killian shifted his gaze to her angrily. Maybe it was for the best that she'd interrupted. This new softness and understanding between him and Emma was a bad thing and he refused to acknowledge it.

"Alright, well I offer my ship and her services." He said sweeping an arm wide and motioning them all board. What the hell was he doing? He mentally asked himself. He had obviously taken leave of his senses indeed if he was letting this happen.

"That's great Hook." Regina snapped, "but we don't know how to track them."

Killian opened his mouth to retort but was cut off by Gold. "Leave that to me." He said and Killian raised a questioning eyebrow to Regina, smirking. He may not like Gold much, in fact he hated 'crocodile' more than anyone had ever hated anyone in the history of the universe, but seeing him shut down Madam Mayor like that was simply delicious indeed. "I can get us where we need to go."

"Well then, let's do it." Mary Margaret piped up and Killian turned back to the ship and walked back up onto the deck, rather reluctant to admit them all onto his beloved ship. He'd offered his services and he'd keep his end of the bargain, no matter how nervous he was that he'd be stuck on the ship so long with his least favorite people in the world.

This was going to be incredibly interesting to say the least.

He walked up to the helm and pulled out his compass. It was irrelevant really, it only worked in Neverland but it was habit. What did they call it? A tick? He did it to occupy his attention when he didn't want to face what was going on around him.

He watched through hooded eyes as everyone boarded the roger but frowned when Gold didn't appear. He wandered over to the side of the ship and poked his head over the side to call out to Gold but stopped short at the sight that greeted him.

It seemed that Gold and Belle were having a rather in depth and heated conversation. Killian could tell by the tears and tender looks in their eyes that they were saying their goodbyes and that they were very much in love with one another. Killian sighed and stepped away from his perch and returned to his post behind the helm and kept a nuetral expression. He wasn't one to judge and though he desperately despised the 'dark one' he did believe that everyone be entitled to finding their one true love.

Not that he would ever find his. Or maybe he had and she was gone. That was a sobering thought. Well maybe it was a good thing. He wasn't exactly someone a lass would want to settle down with. He wasn't even sure he WANTED to settle down. He was a rogue and a pirate. He didn't do the 'happy families' thing. He may have done, once many moons ago, but not now. Not anymore.

Like he had said, he was a man of the sea. He was her slave and she, his mistress. If he were to have a one true love then she would need to have the same love for the ocean and adventure and free spirit that he had. That's what had been so good about Milah. She had loved the sea and had the same wild, free and adventurous spirit as he did.

They had been perfect for each other on every level and he'd loved her more than life itself. It was a short lived love affair though. She had been taken from Killian, by the very man that was kissing his own love on the deck below. Killian would never forgive Rumple for what he did, to his own wife (who granted Killian took but Rumple claimed to love), to Killian (cutting off his hand and forcing him to adopt the hook and the name to go with it) and for what Rumple had done to his own son.

It was horrid, rotten and unforgivable if you asked Killian, which no one ever did. They all assumed him to be a rogue and a villain and he was happy to live up to that. Especially as it involved treasure, rum and women. He smirked a little at that.

Footsteps moving up the gangway roused him from his thoughts and he looked over the helm as Rumple, sorry Gold, limped up and onto the ship. Killian gritted his teeth to stop the angry retort that was about to pass his lips. He was here to do a job and so was Gold, unfortunately. That meant that for the moment they were to be tentative allies. Perhaps though when this journey was over Killian could return the whole hand favour.

"Well?" Regina's biting and tart voice interrupted his thoughts and he turned to face her slowly, raising an eyebrow. "Are we going to save Henry or are we going to sit here and watch the sunset?"

"Sunsets are lovely and romantic." Killian said smugly. "It takes a real romantic soul to truly be able to appreciate a good sunset." Killian heard a soft sigh and he looked down at Snow White who was wearing a wistful look and held Charming's hand as she curled against his side. Killian then looked back at Regina and smiled wider at her annoyed look and the hands that were firmly placed on her hips.

"Be that as it may, Hook." She hissed the word and a scowl graced Killian's handsome face at the name he loathed and Regina chuckled knowing she'd hit a nerve and he just knew he'd be paying for that little slip up later on. "Sunsets may be romantic and lovely to you pirate but we need to move quickly." She snapped.

"Oh, I appreciate the need to hurry Regina but I don't have the directions." He motioned to Gold who was limping across the deck. Regina cast one last loathing look at him and then walked down to meet Gold.

"Well?" She hissed, reaching Gold's side. "Where are they?!" Gold simply gave Regina a calm and contemplative stare while Snow moved over to place a hand cautiously on Regina's arm in support possibly. Maybe. Probably. He had no idea. If Killian were a man more in tuned with emotions and if he didn't know any better then he did, he would've said that Regina was afraid.

He doubted Regina cared about anyone other than herself and her own selfish gain but was it possible that she loved the lad? Killian didn't know but he understood that the love that a parent had for a child was absolute. His eyes shifted to Gold as he thought that and Killian fought down another snort, well for most people that was.

Killian watched the interaction between the two magic owners with mild curiousity and even less enthusiasm. He rested his hand, the one he had on the helm and he flexed his fingers, using his thumb to twist the gold ring on his middle finger in boredom.

"Regina..." Gold said in a flat tone. "I need to cast the spell. It's only going to take a moment or two for me to cast it then I'll be able to find Henry." He said earning a snort and a stern look from the Queen.

"That's a moment or two that Henry may not have!" She huffed and Gold glared at her.

"You're constant nagging is wasting even more time! Would you shut up and let me find him?" He snarled which made Killian's lip twitch in humor but he sobered quickly. He was not going to laugh at anything Gold said to anyone, even if it was mildly funny.

"Regina." Snow said softly gaining the womans attention. "Maybe you should come over here and give Mr Gold a minute to locate Henry?" She asked. Regina stared at her a moment before reluctantly agreeing to it. She nodded and folded her arms, moving out of the way.

Killian watched as Gold muttered words and closed his eyes, moving his hand in a circular motion. A purple ball appeared in the air in front of Gold and Killian felt his eyebrows raise. He'd seen a lot of things in his time but this? "That's a locating spell?!" He asked loudly before he could catch himself. He heard a huff and looked over at Regina who looked exhasparated and was rolling her eyes.

He took the hint and closed his mouth, smirking. It took a few seconds and everyone on the ship was silent. The purple orb swirled and rotated then seemed to fold in on itself and disappear. Gold opened his eyes slowly and looked at the others looking satisfied. "They're in Neverland." He declared and Killian felt his stomach drop.

Of all the places the portal had gone it had to be there. That godawful and wretched place that he'd sworn he would never go back to. Why the hell was he doing this? His eyes involantarily swiveled over to where the daughter of the princess and the warrior was standing. He tore his eyes away mentally shaking himself. He was NOT doing this for her. He was doing this because of the boy. Killian may be a lot of things but he never let harm come to a child. Besides which it was an adventure and he was never one to turn down and adventure.

Regina nodded to Gold then turned to face Killian. "Now its your turn." She informed him and he nodded.

"Aye, don't get your wand in a twist." He said rolling his eyes. He touched his thumb to his forefinger and brought it to his lips and blew. A high pitched whistled rang out and there was a shuffling underneath his feet. Killian raised an eyebrow and stepped around the wheel, leaning on the wooden bannister that ran along the top deck of the roger gazing down curiously.

There was some more rustling and shuffling and then a thud and the doors to his cabin opened and a rather drunk and ruffled looking pirate staggered out shielding his face. "Oh. Hello..." the drunk pirate said loudly and hiccupped staggering slightly, causing Killian's eyebrows to lift higher almost disappearing up in his hairline. "Sorry, but the cap'n isn't here." He said as he swayed. Killian coughed and Smee turned to face him. "Oh Cap'n..." he began to turn away and Smee sobered and turned to face Killian with wide, stunned eyes. "CAP'N!"

Killian leaned forward and smiled. It was a dark, evil smile and Smee knew he was in trouble, Killian could see it in the man's eyes and the way his adam's apple jumped in his throat as he gulped. "Smee. Into the rum and my cabin I see." He said evenly. "We'll address that later." He said slowly. "For the moment will you take our guests to the crew quarters?" He said and Smee nodded, suddenly VERY sober.

"Aye aye Cap'n." He said and walked brisquely to the other end of the ship, taking everyone below decks. Killian's blue eyes watched them all following Smee. He sighed and dragged a hand through his dark hair looking at the sky for some kind of mercy. This was going to be a very long trip.


End file.
